If a program isn't evil, then it does only things that shouldn't require permission. Example: include the OS version and RAM amount in the http request to the upgrade server that is done on every startup.
Any info ever collected by no-permissions-asked telemetry must be such that it doesn't matter who has the information or what they do with it.
If it isn't information of that kind then of course a program should ask permission. But that in my view isn't "telemetry" then. If it collects anything even remotely user-identifying or personal then it's in my definition not telemetry and should never be done without permission (if at all).
If a program really is malicious, then it doesn't matter if it asks for permission because why would that wouldn't respect the users wish anyway?
My argument wasn't pro/against telemetry, it was that asking permission doesn't change anything. Permission isn't what tells malicious programs from others. A benign program doesn't do things that needs permission to begin with.
